How is BJP countering RSS extremism: Cong

The Congress on Saturday taunted Bharatiya Janata Party for its "great claims" of countering terrorism in the last four years, asking it what measures its government took to counter it within its parent organisation of RSS and its affiliates like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Sanathan Sanstha.

In an "In Focus" piece on its website, Congress asked the question while dwelling upon the arrest of three men in Maharajah by its AntiTerrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday to point out how the Lotus blooms with the rise of Hindutva extremism since BJP came to power at the Centre and in the states.

It also pointed out that Vaibhav Raut from whose house the explosive materials were seized, is a member of the Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti, a close sympathiser of the Sanathan Sanstha and a selfproclaimed cow vigilante. Sudhnwa Gondhalekar, the other man arrested, is a member of Shri Shivapratisthan Hindustan, whose chief Sambhaji Bhide was booked in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence.

The party said that Swami Aseemanand is accused in the Samjhauta train blast and that Swami’s statements hinted at the involvement of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, which he later retracted.

Congress also referred to the Malegaon blasts in which Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a national-level leader of RSS student wing ABVP. It said many such leaders associated with the Sangh Parivar have come under the scanner. "Do we need such leaders in politics,” Congress asked.